Hinge



R. B. POLLMAN Oct. 9, 1951 HINGE Filed Jan.

INVENTOR /am/ ZPO//n/ay BY v'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Patented Oct. 9, 1951 UNITED STAT HINGEV Richard B. Pullman, Detroit, Mich. Y Application January 3, 1947', serial No. 719,951

"This invention relates to hinges for closuresl and in particular to concealed hinges.

c l One' object of this invention is to provide a hinge which is concealed within the closure and closure frame respectively yet which permits the closure to be-swung from its closed position to an arc `of 180 degrees or more so that the closure will swing into a position nat against the wall or even partially around the corner.

Another object is to provide a concealed clo- -sure hinge which will permit the use of a closure with a, cover ange to cover and conceal the crack claims. (01,16f164),

between the closure and the closure frame, yet

which will permit the closure to be'swung outwardinto an open position while causing the flange to completely 'clear the closure frame or wall without danger of colliding therewith.

` Another object'is to'provide a concealed closure hinge,'as set forth in the preceding objects, wherein the closure is connected to the closure frame or wall by links mounted on fixed pivots, thereby eliminating the necessity for pivots sliding in grooves or guides and the consequent wear and noise during opening, and the rattling in the `wind, due to the resulting loose connection.

Another object is to provide a concealed closure hinge which is adaptable for use not only on -doors and door frames but yalso for cabinets, chests or other devices where it is desirable to conceal the hinge completely. e

1 Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description of the accompanying drawings, Wherein:

' Figure 1 is a horizontal section through a closure having a concealed closure hinge laccording to a preferred form of the invention, taken along the line I-I in Figure 2, with the hinge and clolsure in their closed positions; I

Figure 2 is a, vertical section through the structure shown in Figure l, taken along the line 2-2 inFigure 1; Y

Figureis a side elevation partly in vsection 4along the line 3 3 in Figure 2, showing the connections of the hinge links to the closure frame; Figure 4 is a side elevation partly in section along the line 4-4 in Figure 2, showing the connections of the hinge links to the closure;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the closure swung 180 into a fully open position; and Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of the hinge ,structure shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, but

ling 2 having a, face plate 22 secured by fasteners 23.Y to the edge wall I5 of the frame Ill. The casing 2| is provided with upper, intermediate and with the closure in the fully open position' shown in Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings' in detail, Figure 1 shows a portion of a wall or closure frame I0, such as a door frame, having a closure opening I'| in which is mounted a closure I2, such as a door. The 'closure I2 and frame or wall I0 are interconnected by a concealed hinge, generally vdesignated I3, containing the linkage hereinafter described. In order to provide a proper clearance and prevent jamming by reason of warping or the like, the closure I2 is spaced away from the closure frame or wall I0 so as to leave a gap or crack I4 between the opposing edge walls I5 and I6 of the Lclosure wall and closure respectively. The front wall I'I of the'closure I2 is provided with an overhanging edge portion or edge ange I8 'covering and concealing the crack I4 ,and substantially in engagement with the front will, be understood that at least two such hinges will be employed in the usual installation. All 'of ,these are of similar constructionand, in thecase Vofeirtremelylong .doors or other closures, three or'more of they hinges I3v may be employed in `order tovgive the desired strength.

" 'They wall or frame IIJ isrecessed as at 20 with a kcavity of irregular shape to receive arhinge cas'- l'ower walls 24,v 25 and 26 respectively interconnected by vertical walls 21 and 28 (Figures 1 and 2,) kThe upper and intermediate walls 24 and 25 'are provided with vertically aligned bores 29 and 3l) in which is mounted a pivot pin 3|. Similarly, the intermediate and lower walls 25 and 2-6 are provided with vertically aligned bores 32 and 33 for. receiving a pivot pin 34. Pivotally mounted jupon the pivot pins 3| and 34 and separated from ,the adjacent walls by washers 35are upper and lower links 35 and 31 respectively, these links being approximately U-shaped. The links 36 and `A3'I swing around their Pivot pins 3| and34 in rel`asf-by pins 40 and 4| respectively.

The outer ends of the U-shaped links 36 and 31 are pivotally mounted on upper and lower pivot pins 42 and 43 respectively and secured thereto by pins 44 and 45. The upper pivot pin 42 is mounted in vertically aligned bores 46 and 41 in the upper and intermediate walls 48 and 49 of a casing 50 having a lower wall 5|. The lower pivot pin 43 is similarly mounted in vertically aligned bores 52 and 53 in the intermediate and lower walls 49 and 5| of the casing 50 (Figure 2). The walls 4849 and 5| are interconnected by a vertical wall 54' of approximately L-shaped crosssection and are connected to an L-shaped face plate 55 secured to the closure I2 by fasteners 56. Washers 51 are provided between the pivot pins 42 and 43 and their adjacent walls similar to the washers 35 and for the similar purpose of insuring free swinging of the U-shaped links 36 and 31. boundaries of upper and lower recesses 59 and 60 of approximately L-shaped cross-section through which the outer ends of the links 36 and 31 swing during the opening and closing motion of the closure I2.

The face plateA 55 to which the walls 48, 49, 5I and. 54 are connected has rear and side portions 6I and 62 (Figures 1 and 4) arranged respectively at right angles to one another and extending around the corner of the closure I2. The forward edges of the face plate 22 and the face plate portions 62 are engaged by the cover ilange I8 which, as previously stated, spans the gap or crack I4 between them so as to conceal the latter.

Cip-eration The mechanical principle underlying the operation of the hinge I3 of this invention is illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 6 with the initial positions of the pivots 34, 43 and 3|, 42 shown at the top of the figure and the subsequent positions of the closure pivots 43 and 42 designated 43 and 42. and shown in the lower part of the figure, the closure I2 in its open position being shown as swung around until it is substantially parallel with the front surface I9 of the wall or frame I8 so that the closure I2 has been swung through an angle of approximately 180.

The pivots 34, 3|, 42 and 43 are positioned so that when the closure I2 is in its open position (Figure 6), a line joining the pivots 42' and 43' will be parallel to a line joining the pivots 42 and 43 in the closed position of the door or closure I2. Under these conditions, the line 422-43', when extended, will pass through the axis of the pivot 34 (Figure 6). The axis of the pivot 3| is not necessarily located on a straight line between the axes of the pivots 34 and 42, as shown in Figure 6, in order to fulfill this condition,v but it may be located to one side or another of the line 34--42 so long as the line 4243 is parallel to the line 42-43 and the distances 3I--42 and 3I-42 remain equal, as they must since the line 3|-42 is a radius.

In order that the cover flange I8 shall clear the Wall front surface I9 and not dig into it or collide with it, the radius 3|-42 of the upper link 36 must be shorter than the radius 34-43 of the lower link. More accurately speaking, it is necessary that the rearwardly located door pivot 43 be on a greater radius of swing 34-43 than the forwardly located pivot 42, for the flange The walls 48, 49, and 54 serve as thel I8 to clear the surface I9 properly. The longer link 31 may obviously be placed above the shorter link 36 instead of below it, as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 while still providing a hinge which operates according to the principles of the invention.

In accordance with these principles, when the door or closure I2 is swung from its closed position (Figure l) into its fully open position shown in Figure 5 and diagrammatically in Figure 6, the U-shaped links 36 and 31 swing through their respective cavities 38, 39, 59 and 60 into the open, as shown in Figure 5, and the edge flange or cover flange I8 moves away from the front surface I9 of the wall or frame I0. If proper clearance is provided, as when the hinge I3 is mounted in a stanchion at the corner of a compartment, the closure I2 may be swung through an angle even greater than degrees by properly cutting away the respective casings 2| and 50. It is usually found suicient, however, to open the door or closure I 2 into a position parallel with its original closed position. When the door is in a closed position, however, it is completely ilush with the opening I I and fully conceals the same, including the crack or gap I4. Maps, paintings, or other artistic or useful objects larger than the opening II may be mounted on the wall surface I9 over the closure I2 so as to conceal the opening II since there are no hinge projections which might reveal the presence of the opening I I beneath the map, painting or other such object. Wall paper may also be mounted on the front wall I1 of the closure I2, and made to match with. wall paper similarly mounted on the front wall. surface I9 of the wall or frame III. In this way,v the concealed hinge of the present invention substantially forms a secret panel yet is instantly capable of being opened andv closed in the manner described above.

While I have shown and described my invention in detail, it is to be understood that the same is to be limited only by the appended claims, for many changes may bev made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

l. A concealed hinge for a closure for a wall opening` comprising a wall hinge support having two spaced wall pivots stationarily mounted thereon, a closure hinge supportV having two spaced closure pivots stationarily mounted .thereon, and a pair of links, each of said links pivotally interconnecting one of said wall pivots and one of said closure pivots, one of said closure pivots being positioned to swing on a longer radius from its corresponding wall pivot than the other closure pivot, said closure pivots being aligned with one of said wall pivots when said closure is swung into an open position parallel with its closed position.

2. A concealed hinge for a closure for a Wall opening comprising a wall hinge support having two spaced wall pivots staticnarily mounted thereon, a closure hinge support having two spaced closure pivots stationarily mounted thereon, and a pair of links, each of said links pivotally interconnecting one of said wall pivots and one of said closure pivots, one of said closure pivots being positioned more remote from its corresponding wall pivot than the other closure pivot from the cthers corresponding wall pivot and likewise positioned nearer the rear of the closure than said other closure pivot so as to swing on a longer radius from its Vcorresponding wall pivot than the other closure pivot, said wall hinge support having a pair of recesses of different depths from said opening, said wall pivot linked to said closure pivot of longer swinging radius being mounted in the deeper recess and said wall pivot linked to said closure pivot of shorter swinging radius being mounted in the shallower recess.

3. A concealed hinge for a closure for a wall opening comprising a wall hinge support having two spaced Wall pivots stationarily mounted thereon, a closure hinge support having two spaced closure pivots stationarily mounted thereon, and a pair of links, each of said links pivotally interconnecting one of said wall pivots and one of said closure pivots, one of said closure pivots being positioned to swing on a longer radius from its corresponding wall pivot than the other closure pivot, at least three of said pivots lying in a common plane parallel to the front of said closure in the closed position of said closure.

4. A concealed hinge for a closure for a wall opening comprising a wall hinge support having two spaced wall pivots stationarily mounted thereon, a closure hinge support having two spaced closure pivots stationarily mounted thereon, and a pair of links, each of said links pivotally interconnecting one of said wall pivots and one of said closure pivots, one of said closure pivots being positioned to swing on a longer radius from its corresponding wall pivot than the other closure pivot, at least three of said pivots lying in a common plane in the closed position of said closure and the fourth pivot being positioned rearwardly of said common plane.

5. A concealed hinge for a closure for a wall two wall pivots positioned at different distances from said opening along a line approximately co-directional with the front of said wall, a closure hinge support having two closure pivots positioned at different distances from the front of said closure, and a pair of bent links, one of said links pivotally connecting the wall pivot more remote from said opening with the closure pivot more remote from the front of said closure and the other of said links pivotally connecting the wall pivot nearer said opening with the closure pivot nearer the front of said closure, a straight line through said closure pivots passing through the wall pivot more remote from said opening when said closure is swung into an open position parallel with its closed position.

RICHARD B. POLLMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,051,726 Lefevre Aug. 18, 1936 2,067,884 Bates Jan. 19, 1937 2,121,790 Etzel June 28, 1938 2,130,663 Baker Sept. 20, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 784,387 France Apr. 29, 1935 

